


I Won: The Youngest Victor

by Cloud_Nine



Series: There Are No Victors, Only Survivors [1]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Father Figure Haymitch, Gen, Katniss wins at 12, Youngest Victor Ever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-09
Updated: 2013-12-09
Packaged: 2018-01-04 03:26:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1075970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cloud_Nine/pseuds/Cloud_Nine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something happened, Annie Cresta 's name wasn't called for the 70th Hunger Games, but 12 year old Katniss Everdeen's name was called. Tiny, little Katniss Everdeen who worked so hard to feed her family after the death of her father just a few short years ago. Little Katniss Everdeen who scored a 9 in training and spent the whole games picking tributes off from the trees. Katniss Everdeen the Girl on Fire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Won: The Youngest Victor

It felt almost criminal for the day of the reapings to be so nice. The sun was shining and the faint song of birds could be heard just above the stomp of feet and harsh breathing of the citizens of district 12. Children aged 12 to 18 lined up before a large stage, surrounding the children are the families lined up, hands linked waiting and hoping. No one wants their child’s name called, and how ever selfish each person is praying that someone elses is called. 

“Ladies first!” Effie Trinket, the escort for District 12 says cheerfully, looking to the district citizens as if expecting them to cheer. In other districts that might happen, but in district 12 tribute is synonymous with corpse. Not reacting to the grim looks Effie continued on as if the grim faces and solemn air didn’t bother her, and it probably didn’t. 

The piece of paper, clutched tightly in Effie's fingers seemed to weight the on the crowd. Suffocating silence descended upon the crowd. Once back at the microphone Effie smiled again, her sparkling white teeth standing out starkly against her odd colored skin. “Katniss Everdeen!” 

Katniss screamed.  
\--  
“Katniss! Katniss! Wake up! You’re safe, you’re safe.” Katniss’ mother cried shaking her daughter, awake. Katniss swung out with her arms, flailing, still stuck in her dream, until the sensation of flesh on flesh jolted her awake. 

Gasping, and sobbing, Katniss’ eyes shot open and zeroed in on her mother’s face. Her mother stood beside the bed, clutching at her face that was already reddening. “Mom,” Katniss whispered. 

“Hush, it’s fine. You didn’t mean it, I’m fine.” Her mother soothed, ignoring the choked apologies from her daughter. “It was just a dream, Katniss, you’re safe at home.” The thin woman sat gingerly on the edge of the bed, “You’re safe.” She said again, slowly reaching out to her daughter trying to comfort her. 

Katniss shook her head and scooted away, “No, don’t touch me!” She said shaking and tear still running down her face. “Haymitch! I need Haymitch!” The 12 year old girl fell out of her bed and crawled away from the bed. “Haymitch, Haymitch!” Katniss yelled hoarsely, not noticing that Prim had awoke or the devastated look on her mother face. 

“Haymitch! Haymitch!” Katniss sobbed stumbling to the door, the frightened girl made it out of the door and into the snow where an equally distraught man caught her. 

“Hush, sweetheart, you woke me up.” He muttered holding her so tightly, as if holding her together. 

The child’s shoulders heaved and she buried her face in his chest. Haymitch smelled like alcohol, coal and home, district 12. He was home and safety in a way that her mother could never truly be. “It was reaping day again, they called my name. They can’t do that! I won. I won.” She cried before slowly tapering off. 

Haymitch, sighed and looked up, meeting the eyes of a worried mother. “I’ve got her,” he said barely loud enough to carry. The upset woman nodded and turned back into the house. Haymitch felt Katniss’ shoulders tense when the soft voice of her younger sister echoed through the doorway. 

“Is Katniss, okay?” 

“Come on sweetheart, let's get you back to bed. The victory tour starts in a few hours.”

It wasn’t hard for Haymitch to usher the tiny 12 year old into his house. Once inside, away from any prying eyes the man swept the girl into his arms. Broken bottles littered his floor and Haymitch didn’t want her to step on anything. Carrying a half-starved victor up the stairs to the only bedroom reminded him just how young she was. Twelve years old. The youngest victor ever. Haymitch felt sick. The life of a victor was not for children. Forcing his thoughts away from the the fate of the broken child, he set her down on the bed. “Go to sleep. I’ll keep watch.” He muttered sitting in a chair that had been drug closer to his bed the first time this had happened. 

Nearly a dozen times, little Katniss had awoken screaming and crying unable to get back to sleep in the strange house. Her mother and sister distraught beyond all words. Haymitch left to pick up the pieces. 

“You should have let me die out there.” Katniss whispered burying her face in the flat pillow that smelled like Haymitch. 

Haymitch sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Go to sleep, Katniss.” 

Eyes much older than twelve years old stared at him in the darkness for three heartbeats before they were hidden in the pillow. In that moment, Haymitch thought that maybe, he should have.


End file.
